Health Care in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of Challenges and Opportunities
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This study was undertaken to review the health care status in the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) member states, and explore current challenges and future opportunities. Available data
was acquired using databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The data
gathered was then combined and the expert authors in the field discussed and propose
strategies to overcome the challenges. There is an increase in both population and health care
needs of GCC States citizens and migrant workers. The huge emigrant population challenges
the capability of the already limited available health care resources. The region is faced with a
quadruple disease burden that includes communicable and non-communicable diseases,
mental health issues and accidental injuries. Recent advances in technology have made
breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment modalities but with an increase in overall health care
cost. Innovative and cost-effective strategies are required to cater the health care needs of
people living in the GCC states. Policy makers should emphasize the need to prioritize and
strengthen primary care as a matter of urgency
(GCC) member states, and explore current challenges and future opportunities. Available data
was acquired using databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The data
gathered was then combined and the expert authors in the field discussed and propose
strategies to overcome the challenges. There is an increase in both population and health care
needs of GCC States citizens and migrant workers. The huge emigrant population challenges
the capability of the already limited available health care resources. The region is faced with a
quadruple disease burden that includes communicable and non-communicable diseases,
mental health issues and accidental injuries. Recent advances in technology have made
breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment modalities but with an increase in overall health care
cost. Innovative and cost-effective strategies are required to cater the health care needs of
people living in the GCC states. Policy makers should emphasize the need to prioritize and
strengthen primary care as a matter of urgency
Date Issued
2017-08-21
Date Acceptance
2017-08-18
Citation
Cureus, 2017, 9 (8)
ISSN
2168-8184
Publisher
Cureus, Inc.
Journal / Book Title
Cureus
Volume
9
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© Copyright 2017
Khoja et al. This is an open access
article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution
License CC-BY 3.0., which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and
source are credited.
Khoja et al. This is an open access
article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution
License CC-BY 3.0., which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and
source are credited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e1586
Date Publish Online
2017-08-21